New Beginnings
by Iamtron7
Summary: Students redo their final year at Hogwarts, after being interrupted by war. This re-kindles life into the wizarding world, as we see a more sturdy society begin to rise. Draco is sent to school by his mother, shunned by his friends, and searches for a new identity. Hermione returns as well, looking forward to the future. Now both are made to live together, and old tensions remain.


_Author's note:_

_Alright everyone, this will be my first attempt writing any fan fiction, and it's more of a test run for now. I'm prepared for tough reviews, but please bear with me as I try to improve._

_Any criticism is welcome._

_This fic will be a split perspective between Hermione and Draco, and the relationship that is forged when they are forced together. There are not going to be any mature themes._

_I hope you enjoy_

_As always, I do not intend to steal any credit from the creators of this amazing series. _

_..._

**Chapter 1 : The train**

_Hermione_

Hermione Granger was glad to once again be on the Hogwarts express. Looking out the rain-streaked window to the blurred countryside, she felt at ease. The sound of the cars rattling and churn of the engines had become comforting to her over her years at Hogwarts. They always marked the long awaited beginning, as well the feared ending of her escape.

She thought back to the time before the war, before she had even known that she was a witch. Back to when her life seemed so full of worries, now realizing that it was exactly the opposite. She would play on the street with her friends, hide and seek in the park, hopscotch down Old Planger way. It all seemed so simple now, yet she was glad when one day her letter came in the mail.

Her whole world turned upside down, another whole world had been revealed to her in fact. That incredible surprise had changed her life forever, and created some memories that she would cherish forever. Then came the war, and her time of greatest struggle. Relied upon by both Ron and Harry as well as the wizarding world, there was immense pressure to find and destroy the Horcruxes in time to defeat Voldemort.

That was all over now, and she had never felt happier to be alive. The re-opening of Hogwarts could not have come at a better time for the entire British wizarding community. It provided new hope and promised prosperity for all young minds, and was hailed as the coming of a golden age in wizarding history. With darkness defeated, young minds educated and the economy looking up, there was not much a wizard could complain about these days.

Hermione's nostalgia and lack of rest to due excitement began to slowly lull her into a well-deserved and content slumber.

_Draco_

Merlin he could not stand the irritation of the first and second years, causing havoc running up and down the carriages, banging closed compartment doors and their general annoyance just by their existence. Draco had to catch himself when he began to hex a second year that had just let off a Weasley Dung-Bomb in the adjoining carriage. Back before the war, when his family still had influence in the ministry, he would have dared any of these parasites to act how they were. But times were different now, and everything had changed. So instead he rushed into the nearest empty compartment before the terrible stench would find a way to make his return to Hogwarts even worse.

Draco sat down, rubbing his eyes slowly. Those children had given him a migraine. It was bad enough that his mother had forced him to finish his education, but having to deal with these pests was infuriating. He slowly drew his head out of his hands, and took in the surroundings of the compartment. There sat, directly across from him, one of the only possible ways this trip could have gotten any worse.

Well then again she wasn't really sitting. There lay Hermione Granger, one of Potter's gang, fast asleep. He couldn't believe his luck. First off his mother had surprised him this morning with a one-way ticket to Hogwarts, after his frequent and sometimes violent fits concerning the subject. Then after getting on the train, his former "friends" whose parents were also on the losing side of the war, decided he was no longer welcome, leaving Draco to find a compartment for himself. Then the pestering first-years and the Dung-Bomb somehow managed to land him with Granger. What a perfect day.

As he sat there, waiting for the stench and smoke to clear outside the compartment door, he wondered where the rest of the Potter gang was. Weasley, his younger sister, Potter, and Granger were usually inseparable. He looked around the compartment, seeing what looked like only one person's belongings, presumably Granger's. It was curious, but Draco didn't car to investigate further. However, she did look peaceful, lying with her bushy hair pressed up against the glass that managed to keep the torrential rain at bay.

The smoke cleared outside the compartment, Draco decided that it was better to leave Granger by herself than to risk being found by the Potter gang. As he got up and opened the door, Draco turned and placed his eyes one last time on Granger. He laughed half heartily to himself, when he realized that this peace and quiet with one of the people he most truly hated had been the highlight of his day.

_Hermione_

With the screech of the conductor's whistle, Hermione awoke quickly, embarrassed to have slept for so long. She had originally planned to get away from it all and nap for a while, but she scrambled to change into her school robes realizing that other students had already begun disembarking.

As she stepped of the train, she was instantly drenched, as the rain poured down on all of the students. Looking around for Harry, Ron, and Ginny, Hermione cast warming and rain-repelling charms on herself to keep away the chill brought on by the rain.

Hermione searched half-heartedly for her friends, but they must have taken a carriage up to the castle already, as there were only a few students remaining on the platform.

The rain had little effect on her happiness to be back where she truly belonged, and Hermione barely noticed that she rode up to the castle alone.

...

_End Note:_

_This chapter may not have gotten into any real action yet, and was a little short, but I hope you can envision what I am planning. _

_Please leave a review, as it only helps be get better. _

_Next Chapter should be released soon._

_Peace,  
><em>_Tron7_


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